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The Oracle WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2016 I VOL. 53 NO. 95

www.usforacle.com

The Index

Lifestyle......................................................4 Opinion.......................................................6

Crossword.........................................7 sports............................................................8

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Zimmerman director fired, search begins DOJ adopts

By Miki Shine C O - N E W S

E D I T O R

In light of Samuel Bradley’s recent dismissal from the directorial position in the Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications, the school is starting the search for a replacement.

A hiring committee, chaired

by USF psychology professor Michael Brannick, has already been formed. The application is not currently available, although Brannick anticipates starting to advertise the position between the end of July and beginning of August.

“I hope we attract someone who has lots of experience in … media and gets the necessity for change and innovation,” Associate Director Wayne Garcia said. “Someone who’s excited about that and is willing to come in to do a tough job in a tough field.”

After the Tampa Tribune brought to light an investigation into Bradley’s conduct at Former director of the Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications Samuel Bradley his previous job at Texas Tech posed with students during ZDay when sponsor Jordon Zimmerman came to visit the school. SPECIAL University — it found he’d TO THE ORACLE engaged in a sexual relationGonzalez’s report, which as a “visiting associate profes- mously earned tenure — which ship with three female stuwas released Thursday June sor and ZAP interim director.” increased his annual salary dents and a “very close per30, states that Bradley applied According to the report, the from $74,900 to $145,385. sonal relationship” with a male for an associate professor of position was to commence on While there was no justifistudent — he was placed on advertising posication for the failure to administrative leave by USF. tion in 2012 but the Bradley’s referencBradley’s ultimate dis“I hope we attract someone check search committee es, the report said it is missal from the university found he did not who has lots of experience in uncertain how much of came after an investigation by meet its criteria.

Bradley’s past at Texas Tampa-based attorney Thomas … media and gets the necesThe repo r t Tech would have been Gonzalez who determined both said Bradley was discovered. that USF officials had failed described as hav- sity for change and innovation.

Dean of the College of to follow proper procedure in ing an “adequate Someone who’s excited about Arts and Sciences Eric Bradley’s 2013 hiring and that presence in the Eisenberg, who was he provided false information classroom” and an that and is willing to come in to unavailable due to travel, to the committee. “insufficient abiltold the Tampa Bay Times The team that hired Bradley ity to teach media do a tough job in a tough field.” last week that no discidid not verify his employplanning, (which plinary action or review ment status, ask for personnel Wayne Garcia is) a pressing need of the hiring committee records, conduct a background Associate Director to the advertising is scheduled. check or advertise the posisequence.”

Bradley’s dismissal is tion.

However, when the director Aug. 7, 2013 and end on Aug. based on the fact that the posiDespite the investigation of the Zimmerman Advertising 6, 2014. However, there was tion of ZAP director was never into his hiring, there has not Program (ZAP) resigned a short never a sign that he would advertised and that no one been an investigation into time later, the same committee only stay for the year. else was ever considered for Bradley’s conduct while at USF, During his two and a half the position. recommended Bradley for the according to the university. position. As such, he was hired years at USF, Bradley unanin See BRADLEY on PAGE 2

professor’s police training program

By Abby Rinaldi C O - N E W S

E D I T O R

Bias in policing has been a polarizing issue in recent years with cases such as the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, as well as the death of Eric Garner after New York City police officers put him in a chokehold.

While police bias is scrutinized and studied, programs have emerged to train officers to do their job without bias. One such program, the brainchild of USF criminology professor Lorie Fridell, is called Fair and Impartial Policing, and has been adopted and retooled by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to train officers at the federal level.

Fridell created the original Fair and Impartial Policing program, targeted at state and local law enforcement, during her time as director of research for the Police Executive Research Forum.

With funding from the U.S. DOJ Community Oriented Policing Services office, Fridell spoke with law enforcement officials at all levels, as well as members of the community, about biased policing.

Fridell has been teaching the class at the state and local level since 2008. She has been tasked by the DOJ to develop a version of the program for the federal level called Fair and Impartial Law Enforcement , which is the program she is currently working on.

The class will be taught to members of four particular agencies: the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Marshals Service.

The program trains officers to

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BRADLEY

Continued from PAGE 1

Bradley also gave false information, including that he’d decided to leave Texas Tech in the wake of a messy divorce, according to Gonzalez’s report.

However, Bradley responded in an email to his notice of intent to terminate for just cause that he did disclose all relevant points to the best of his knowledge. He also stated that he had no knowledge of the Texas Tech report.

He responded, saying Gonzalez’s report contained “many key factual errors and omissions” and that he was not given sufficient time to prepare for his interview with Gonzalez.

Bradley also said he believes he should not be terminated from his position as a professor and made clear his intention to go through the United Faculty of Florida (UFF) to “resolve this disagreement.”

“I did not hide that there was an investigation,” Bradley said Friday in an interview with Bay News 9. “I did not hide that I was on leave when I was there. People were actually just not very interested in following up on those questions.”

Bradley could not be reached by the Oracle for additional comment, and Gonzalez declined to comment.

In Bradley’s notice of termination for just cause, Eisenberg stated that his response was carefully reviewed but the administration maintained the belief that there was just cause to terminate and will move forward with the action effective immediately.

Bradley does have the option to issue a grievance on the action through the UFF and chose not to go through the Peer Advisory Committee.

However, he cannot issue a grievance concerning his removal from the director position.

As such, the committee of

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seven professors and one student has been organized to search for a replacement.

Some of the requirements for applicants include a Ph.D. in mass communications or another communicationsrelated field, professional and teaching experience in the field, and a commitment to diversity.

According to an email from Garcia to mass communication students, one of the first priorities of the new director will be reviewing the school’s accreditation situation and determining “whether it in is everyone’s best interest to seek re-accreditation.”

He also said that the school is looking at combining the public relations major with the advertising major, and merging the newspaper editorial, magazine journalism and telecommunications concentrations into a single digital media curriculum, as well as developing a master’s and Ph.D. program.

The new majors are expected to start in fall of 2017, contingent upon the proper approvals. However, current students in each concentration will be able to complete their current courses of study, rather than having to be reclassified into the new majors.

“All of (those) have been going on for, in some cases, several years and are just coming to fruition,” Garcia said. “There aren’t any changes because of the director change.”

While the search is ongoing, associate professor Art Ramirez — who is also a member of the hiring committee — will continue as interim director. Garcia expects the new director to start at some point during the spring of 2017.

“Obviously, when you’re on the front pages with something very, very negative, that’s not where you want to be,” Garcia said. “But it really has not had an impact on the instruction at the class level.”

In an article published on Jun. 29, it was stated that USF would receive $10 million for gaining emerging pre-eminent status, allocated by the Florida Board of Governors. The correct number is $5 million for emerging pre-eminent universities and $10 million for full pre-eminence.

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DOJ

Continued from PAGE 1

recognize their own implicit biases, which Fridell said they might not be aware of because they might only associate bias in policing with explicit biases, such as racism.

“There is no animus and hostility associated with these biases,” she said. “The implicit biases can impact us outside of our conscious awareness, even as it may produce discriminatory behavior, and that led me to believe that even the overwhelming number of wellintentioned law enforcement in this country have implicit biases.”

The first 2-½ hour class for federal officials was taught June 28. Those in attendance included the DOJ Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, the directors of the four agencies receiving the training and other high-ranking individuals from those four agencies.

“It is actually rather scary giving presentations to the group on (June 28), the high level group,” Fridell said. “You want to make sure that you do a good job and make the university proud. It was a little less intimidating on Wednesday and Thursday.”

The first implementations of the supervisor and executive versions

of the course came in the days following. As classes are taught, Fridell and her team are asking for feedback.

“As we start to roll it out, we’re going to be making changes,” Fridell said.

A curriculum for line personnel was not tested last week. Her program will reach more than 23,000 DOJ employees during its implementation.

Fridell said many trainees she has dealt with at the state and local level are defensive or even hostile when they enter training because they believe the implication of their involvement is that they are explicitly biased.

“What I see and what I believe strongly is that many law enforcement officers might … walk into the training room thinking that bias in policing … has nothing to do with them,” she said.

“I believe … they leave thinking very differently about the issue.

They leave … with the skills that they need to implement fair and impartial policing.”

Bias training is important, Fridell said, because implicit biases impact people across many professions, but policing requires special attention because of the affect it has on people’s lives.

“While every profession needs to be fair and impartial, policing that is fair and impartial is critically important first and foremost to protect the rights of community members,” she said.

Renna Reddick, the public information officer for University Police (UP), shared a similar view on the importance of recognizing bias in policing saying, “Any type of training that brings different perspective is helpful.”

Seven officers at UP have attended Fridell’s course and UP also undergoes continuous, mandatory bias training. UP, she said, hasn’t received complaints about bias in its policing, which she sees as a sign of success.

“It means the training that they’re receiving is working,” she said.

One challenge that concerned Fridell was the difference in activities and missions between law enforcement at the federal level, and the state and local levels.

Federal law enforcement is a lot less spontaneous than state and local, she said, when it comes to encounters with the population.

“I have a lot of knowledge regarding state and local agencies, and I’m going to be learning a lot, with this program, about federal

Lorie Fridell gave the first training session of her Fair and Impartial Law Enforcement course to top members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the U.S. Marshals Service on Tuesday, June 28. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE law enforcement,” Fridell said. “... officials in the four federal agenThose differences lead to different cies in early July. implications of the science of bias Early implementation of the for their work.” line and supervisor trainings will The next steps are to finalize be completed over the next three the curriculum and continue teach- months. Then, in October, officials ing both the federal, and state from the four agencies will be and local programs while gaining instructed on how to train memfeedback. Meanwhile, Fridell will bers of their respective agencies. continue training executive level

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And they’re off: the Tour de Turtles

By Nicole Cate and Noelle Griffin W R I T E R S

For the fourth year in a row, USF’s Patel College of Global Sustainability is sponsoring a turtle in the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s Tour de Turtle, a 14-turtle race won by whichever competitor migrates the furthest.

Each turtle is tracked for three months. To win the Tour de Turtles, their goal is to be the first turtle to swim the furthest distance during the migration.

The Patel College’s participation in this event is being spearheaded by David Randle, director of sustainable tourism for the college. He said he got involved in the event after colleagues at Disney told him about it.

“The purpose is primarily educational, because it reaches thousands of classrooms and children all over the world,” said Randle. “Also, it’s a way to fund research because the race creates an interest for sponsors, because it’s easier for sponsors to get excited about wanting to

sponsor a turtle in the race than just to give money to research.”

The event started in 2008 and begins on Aug. 1 every year. Members of the sponsoring teams go out and catch turtles to attach trackers to them that will track their migratory patterns.

This year, companies like Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Disney Conservation Fund, Disney’s Animals Programs and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort are sponsoring turtles.

“The research is important because it really tells us what areas are most critical for the turtles habitats, where they go, what areas need protection, what areas need better management,” Randle said.

The Patel College is cosponsoring their turtle, named Tortuga Turista, or T.T, along with the Cuba Marine Turtles Program this year. Interestingly, though, despite making several trips to Cuba, T.T. is actually Panamanian.

When the team in Cuba ended up catching two turtles instead of the projected three,

leaving the Patel College without a reptile to sponsor, David Godfrey, executive director of Sea Turtle Conservancy, suggested they try to catch one in Costa Rica.

However, the college didn’t have any connections to Costa Rica. Instead, contacts in Panama informed Randle that they recently caught a turtle that did not have sponsor, at which point he knew he’d found his turtle.

To capture the turtles, the team has scouts stake out the beach. When a turtle comes up to lay eggs, the scouts notify the rest of the team.

After the turtle lays the eggs, covers them and tries to head back into the water, the team forms two walls on both sides of the turtle and lead it away to put a box around it.

Then they clean and scrub the turtle’s shell, epoxy the transmitter to the peak of the shell, and attempt to keep the turtle calm and still for two hours so that the epoxy has enough time to dry. The team then forms a path on the beach

Baby leatherback turtle crawling along a Dominican beach toward the ocean. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

to guide the turtle back to the ocean.

“It’s really not about who wins the race, it’s really about raising awareness,” Randle said.

“People are recognizing what we do as human beings, particularly in the tourism industry, can either make or break the success of the turtle from either becoming extinct or not extinct.”

Randle’s hope is that the race inspires people to think about turtle-friendly plans for beaches such as using turtle-friendly lighting to which the animals will go to nest and keeping the beaches clean so raccoons don’t find and eat turtle eggs while rummaging through trash.

“I think that’s an amazing and intriguing project. Turtle migratory patterns are still widely unknown, so doing more research into where exactly the turtles go is extremely important, and areas that are vital to them can be better protected,” said Dawn Drake, a senior majoring in marine biology.

“I also like the idea of presenting the tracking data like

a race because it gets the public interested in the research and kind of makes it easier to understand and follow.”

The college’s aim is to make people realize that holidays are about more than sun, sea and sand. The decisions you makewhile on a trip could affect the environment.

“I feel like a lot of people that are on vacation are blind to the effect that they have when they leave a place, how they leave a place,” said Justin Farrow, a graduate student double majoring in sustainable tourism and sustainable entrepreneurship and Randle’s teaching assistant.

“It will hopefully get Americans thinking a little more about the kind of effect that we have on other places when we visit.” “(The) ‘Leave No Trace’ (movement) is very important.

Leaving a place for future generations. If we have to bring them in one turtle at a time, then we’ll do that.”

Nicole Cate and Noelle Griffin are interns at the Patel College of Global Sustainability.

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the Oracle Students shouldn’t have to choose the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966

Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag oracleeditor@gmail.com

between a family and a degree Breanne Williams COLU M N I ST

Despite the recent recession, colleges have been making an effort to offer benefits to those News Editors seeking a degree in an effort to increase attendance. However, Miki Shine one large group has been left far Abby Rinaldi behind in the push for higher oraclenewsteam@gmail.com education: family makers.

According to the Institute Sports Editor for Women’s Policy Research Vinnie Portell (IWPR), 4.8 million undergraduoraclesportseditor@gmail.com ates are attempting to seek a degree while raising children.

Despite comprising one-fourth Opinion Editor of college students, there are Breanne Williams few benefits available at major oracleopinion@gmail.com universities and colleges to aid in their education.

Lifestyle Editor This leads to 52 percent of Nicole Cate parents withdrawing after 6 oraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com years of enrollment without a degree, compared to the 32 percent dropout rate of nonMultimedia Editor parents.

Jackie Benitez The financial burden of paying for a degree causes many Copy Editor students to give up with the end Grace Hoyte in sight out of fear of their family suffering due to debt. While they do receive federal tuition Graphic Artist assistance in the form of Pell Jessica Thomas Grants, they are still struggling more than non-parents.

Advertising Sales “Single student-parents have Alyssa Alexander an average annual unmet need Lauren Alford of $6,117 compared to $3,650 for non-parent students, and Destiny Moore $3,289 for married parents,” Dylan Ritchey according to a study done by the IWPR. The aid offered is not enough The Oracle is published Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and once when you take into considerweekly, Wednesday, during the summer. ation the cost of day care, as well The Oracle allocates one free issue to each student. as the many hours dedicated to Additional copies are $.50 each and available at the caring for the child that ends Oracle office (SVC 0002). up amounting to a second job

BY PHONE for the student. Consequently, Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-6242 many hours can no longer be Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-5190 spent working a job they actuNews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-1888 Sports ................

974-2842 ally get paid for.

An obvious solution would be Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-2620 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-6242 for universities to have on-campus child care options available Website: usforacle.com Facebook: facebook.com/usforacle for its students. Yet those necessary facilities are in the decline Twitter: @USFOracle as colleges focus the budget on CORRECTIONS other projects.

The Oracle will correct or clarify factual errors.

Contact Editor in Chief Jacob Hoag at 974-5190.

In fact, those with still-func-

tioning childcare centers are so sought after that 80 percent contain waiting lists with an average wait of 90 children, or approximately 85 percent of the enrollment center.

Relocating one’s family to a school that offers aid is not a viable option for most families.

It is imperative colleges begin to make benefits available for parents; otherwise they will continue to be left behind.

Minority students are the most likely to suffer from the lack of aid, with 37 percent of African American, 33 percent of American Indian and 25 percent of Hispanic students attempting to graduate while also having children.

The IWPR also found “College students with children are also likely to be first-generation college students. Forty-nine percent of student-parents are firstgeneration college students, while only 29 percent of nonparents are first generation. Half of veteran student-parents are first-generation college students, as are 55 percent of Latino student parents.”

If universities were to make a stand and vow to reach out to student-parents, they would be reaching an important minority group and that would only bring them positive press, while ensuring students have degrees that allow them to provide the best life for their families.

If finances are truly the issue, the university should reassess their priorities. Before throwing huge sums of money at landscaping or cheap branded merchandise to give out to students, they should consider the alternative.

Students can survive without free t-shirts, but a huge demographic is being forced to give up on their dreams because part of that dream involved having a family. It’s time higher education in the U.S. stops punishing students for being parents.

Breanne Williams junior majoring in communications.

is a mass

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What you said

Tuesday, the FBI recommended no charges for Hillary Clinton after finishing its investigation into her email scandal.

Opinion Editor Breanne Williams asked students if they agree with the finding.

“I don’t think we should necessarily trust the FBI, but I don’t think there is anything else we can do.

We should just let it be.”

-Udeme Ikaiddi, a senior majoring in international business

“It’s politics. We never know what’s going on behind the scenes. If they say she’s cleared, we have to let it be.” ­ Eisenhower — George-Kalagbor, a junior majoring in industrial engineering

“Even though they can’t find intent, she should’ve known better.”

- Dalina Tran, a senior majoring in integrative animal biology

“I think unless we have every email back you can’t say for sure if she was hiding something. If the emails makes you not like her, you don’t have to vote for her.”

— Judelande Jeune, a senior majoring in political science

OLYMPICS

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definitely (has a chance),” Otey said. “There are a lot of good triple jumpers in the United States.

I guess the top three that most people who follow track specifically would know are Christian Taylor, Will Claye and Marquis Dendy.

“But, I like his chances going into the meet. This is his first time at the Olympic Trials, it definitely is a big meet, and it’s a big moment.

But, he’ll be fine in the competition.”

With so much on the line this week, O’Neal said he hasn’t

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resurrecting the Sun Devils’ men’s tennis program after an eight-year absence.

Jaleel Cousins makes Summer League roster Former USF center Jaleel Cousins earned an opportunity to showcase his talent at the next level during the NBA Summer League after making the Dallas Mavericks’ roster.

Cousins, who averaged 8.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks over his senior season at USF, is one of three centers on the Mavericks’ 13-man roster.

The 6-foot-11, 255-pound center has played in both of the teams’ first two games of the five-game schedule, averaging 1 point, 1 rebound and 1 steal over nine minutes.

Cousins is the younger brother of Sacramento Kings All-Star center Demarcus Cousins.

Cousins and the Mavericks will play Charlotte today at 2 p.m. on NBA TV. The Mavericks’ summer league schedule concludes on Friday.

Williams debuts with Sun Following a trade that sent former USF guard Courtney Williams from Phoenix to Connecticut for AllStar center Kelsey Bone, the recent USF graduate may be in for more playing time.

Williams, who played five minutes or more in only two of her six games with the Mercury, saw 10 minutes on the court in an 86-83 victory over the Dallas Wings for the Sun on Saturday.

In her time on the court, the rookie guard chipped in with five points, six rebounds and two assists.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

changed much about his training or preparation, with the exception of an adjusted takeoff.

“I’ve been working on my approach,” O’Neal said. “I changed some steps on my approach to get a little bit more speed coming down the runway, so hopefully that will help out. Adding more speed has been something I’ve thought about doing, and so far, it’s worked out in practices.”

Any extra motivation O’Neal might have needed will arrive in the form of his mother and three siblings, who arrive in Eugene tonight.

The O’Neal’s, who are from Jackson, Mississippi, often can’t make it to Matthew’s events, but will be in the stands Thursday.

“My family, they’ve been there for me all my life, so I’m definitely thankful they were able to come,” O’Neal said. “They always show support and love, even if they’re not able to make it out to the track. I know they’re either watch-

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ing online or rooting for me. I really appreciate my family, and I’m glad they’re able to make it out for this competition. It’s definitely going to be a contributing factor, having the support of my family here.”

Despite coming into college with the intent of making his mark on the soccer field, O’Neal has accomplished more than he could have ever dreamt on the track with a chance to take his success to the national stage this weekend.

With a full season of training under his belt for the first time in his career and fresh ink in the USF and AAC record books, O’Neal’s potential leap into the spotlight is coming at just the right time.

“I always say everything happens for a reason and with God, all things are possible,” O’Neal said. “Coming off of a blessing of a senior year, this all couldn’t have happened at a better time.

Definitely great timing is what I would say.”

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

The Rundown

Rio 2016

USF reacts to NBA free agency

Outside USF

Rays’ Longoria snubbed from AllStar game MLB released its All-Star rosters for the 2016 All-Star game in San Diego on July 12 and Rays’ third baseman Evan Longoria failed to make the initial roster.

Longoria, who Longoria is hitting .279 with 18 homers and 45 RBIs, will have one last chance to make the team through MLB’s Final Vote.

The winner of the Final Vote, which began Tuesday and ends Friday at 4 p.m., will determine the last roster spot between five players for both the American and National League teams.

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O’Neal awaits Olympic Trials

By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S

Social media buzz

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Matthew O’Neal never envisioned himself making it this far.

When the former USF athlete steps onto the track at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on Thursday, he’ll have the chance to become one of three American jumpers to represent the U.S. in the 2016 Rio Olympics for the triple jump event .

However, even with all the success O’Neal has had in the past four years at USF, he’s still going up against long odds, as he will try to become one of three jumpers. out of the 24 who will compete Thursday.

“He’s got an outside shot at the trials for the team because we did go gold and silver in the triple jump the last Olympics … (and) anything can happen on that day,” USF track and field coach Warren Bye said.

“But I think anything Matt O’Neal sets his mind to, he can do, and if that’s something he wants to do, I think he’ll do a very, very good job at it.”

The last tandem to represent the U.S. in the triple jump qualified with jumps of 57-feet, 7 inches and 57 feet, 10 1/4 inches.

O’Neal’s best jump, which came this year at the NCAA East Preliminary event was 55-feet-9 3/4 inches.

“I’m more or less excited,” O’Neal said. “Coming in, I feel like there’s less pressure on me because I’m not the number one jumper coming in. I like the aspect of coming in and being able to step up. Going into Thursday, I’m looking forward to continuing on to the finals on Saturday.”

Beginning on Thursday at 4:45 p.m., the pool of 24 jumpers will be whittled down to 12 who will continue on Saturday, then down to eight later that day, before another round of jumps to determine the final three.

But even though O’Neal is on the cusp of athletic greatness for track and field, he didn’t think this kind of career was in store for him, even when choosing which college to attend.

Growing up playing 14 years of

Notebook

Men’s tennis coach leaves for Arizona State

Matt Hill SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S

Matthew O’Neal SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

“Coming in, I feel like there’s less pressure on me because I’m not the number one jumper coming in.

I like the aspect of coming in and being able to step up.”

Matthew O’Neal Former USF track athlete

soccer and eventually committing to the USF men’s soccer team in 2012, O’Neal’s heart was affixed to the soccer pitch.

“Growing up, I played soccer basically all of my life,” O’Neal said. “I always saw myself playing soccer because I really enjoyed soc-

cer, and I still do.

“I just had a lot of fun playing soccer, so the decision to come over to track do that full time for my last year was a decision made by prayer and seeing just how good I could to do in track by just focusing on that for the year and getting the full training, the fall included.

It’s turned out to be pretty good.”

He played as a defender for coach George Kiefer’s squad for three seasons before eventually sacrificing his spot on the team prior to the 2015 season.

The decision paid off in a big way for O’Neal, as he was able to become an All-American twice, break his own school record multiple times and set the conference record for the triple jump.

To qualify for the Olympic squad, O’Neal will likely have to set another personal record, but USF jumps coach Kiamesha Otey, who also once competed in the Olympic Trials, said she thinks O’Neal has a shot.

“Oh definitely, (O’Neal) most

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E D I T O R

Coming off the best three-year stretch of men’s tennis at USF that included three consecutive AAC championships and three trips to the NCAA Tournament, USF men’s tennis coach Matt Hill has resigned in favor of the same position at Arizona State University.

Hill joined USF in June 2012 and through his recruitment of nationally ranked players such as Roberto Cid, Dominic Cotrone and Justin Roberts, the program began a steady rise that culminated with USF reaching No. 13 in the national rankings and Cid ranking No. 2 for singles players.

Now, with the departure of Hill and four seniors including Cid and Cotrone, the team will have ground to make up if it wishes to continue its streak of conference championships.

“Matt did an incredible job with our tennis program, both on and off the court, during his four years at USF,” USF Athletic Director Mark Harlan said in a release.

“Matt is truly one of the bright young standouts in collegiate coaching … I spoke to the team this afternoon and pledged that we will find a great leader who will help them continue their push to be among the nation’s best.”

At Arizona State, Hill will be

n See COACH on PAGE 7